Can an Employer Deny FMLA Leave to an Employee Who Is Not Yet Eligible to Take Leave?"So, the answer is easy enough: when assessing an employee's eligibility under the FMLA, employers should make the calculation not as of the date of the request, but as of the date the leave is to begin. If an employer terminates the employee 'in order to avoid having to accommodate that employee with rightful FMLA leave rights once that employee becomes eligible,' the employee could advance an FMLA interference claim."
(Franczek Radelet P.C.)

Government Employees Face Benefits Changes, Study Shows"The report, Containing Health Care Costs: Proven Strategies for Success in the Public Sector, funded by a grant from Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, identified strategies government employers are using to manage the quality and cost of their employee benefits programs."
(Wolters Kluwer Law & Business / CCH)

Is U.S. Health Spending Finally under Control?"Now why is it reasonable to assume that excess cost growth will just have to decline to zero in the long run — that is, to assume that health spending will not eventually growth faster than G.D.P. and perhaps even more slowly?"
(The New York Times; free registration required)

Wisconsin State Worker Severance Packages Scrutinized"The joint legislative subcommittee hearing follows reports by the Pioneer Press and KSTP-TV in November about $57 mil.lion paid out in unused sick time to state employees — a practice largely unheard of in the private sector — and $32 mil.lion paid out in unused vacation time between January 2008 and June 30, 2011."
(MediaNews Group, Inc.)

Aetna Wellness Programs Available for Purchase on Best Buy Shelves"The Hartford, Conn.-based health plan is selling credit-card-size vouchers at Chicago-area Best Buy stores, redeemable for access to online coaching programs. The pilot program stemmed from Aetna's interest in trying out retail sales of its wellness program and from Best Buy's launch of health and fitness sections in select stores in late 2011[.]"
(American Medical Association)

The Positive Economic Impacts of Paid Family Leave for Families, Businesses and the Public"To date, few studies have examined the economic effects of paid family leave as distinct from the effects of unpaid leave or no leave. As such, this is an important emerging area of research. If paid leave policies have the potential to protect women's and men's wages and long-term earnings, and perhaps even to reduce the use of state- and federally-funded public assistance, then any political or economic investment in such policies would be — quite literally — worth the cost."
(Center for Women and Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

Family and Medical Leave: The Basics"Leaves of absence requirements are among the most vexing part of HR administration for most employers. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and related state law requirements cause practical headaches and risks of litigation for the unwary. Through a four part series, we will try to demystify family and medical leave obligations and provide a practical guide for compliance."
(Foster Pepper PLLC)

California Regulators Still Have Little Power Over Insurance Rate Hikes"California regulators last year won expanded authority to scrutinize health insurance rate hikes, but their continued lack of real power has consumers gearing up for a new battle with the insurance industry over rate regulation. The new law permits regulators to conclude a rate hike is excessive, but they can only try to persuade or shame insurers into backing off."
(San Jose Mercury News)

Cost of Long-Term Care Requires Additional Financial Planning"According to Northwestern Mutual's 'Cost of Long-Term Care Study,' while the costs vary widely based on location and type of care, the study shows that the national average daily rate for a single occupancy, private nursing home room is $246.06 per day, or almost $90,000 for one year of care."
(PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Ernst & Young Steps Up for Same-S.ex Partners"While the company began offering same-s.ex domestic partner benefits in 2002, like most other employers, it taxed the amount spent as income, while other family policies come out of pre-tax income. But as of January 1 this year, the company will reimburse employees for those taxes for the 2011 tax year, and for tax years going forward."
(Thomson Reuters)

Cost Containment: Overcoming Challenges (PDF)"HealthLeaders Media's annual cost-containment survey shows that the revenue cycle is regarded as the top choice (30%) of leaders seeking the greatest return in efficiency and cost reduction. That area can provide the highest yields in efficiencies and cost reduction. But revenue cycle is very general as a priority. Significant numbers of healthcare organizations are taking their revenue cycle operations to the next strategic level."
(HealthLeaders Media)

[Opinion]

Bending the Health Care Cost Curve: New Era in American Health Care?"Staying the course toward a high performance health system shows promise of at long last bending the health care cost curve. It offers a far more promising approach to containing health care costs than increasing deductibles, cutting benefits, and shifting more of the financial burden of health insurance premiums and medical bills to working families and elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries."
(The Commonwealth Fund)

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